Optimization of observer robot locations

Abstract

Example implementations may relate to optimization of observer robot locations. In particular, a control system may detect an event that indicates desired relocation of observer robots within a worksite. Each such observer robot may have respective sensor(s) configured to provide information related to respective positions of a plurality of target objects within the worksite. Responsively, the control system may (i) determine observer robot locations within the worksite at which one or more of the respective sensors are each capable of providing information related to respective positions of one or more of the plurality of target objects and (ii) determine a respectively intended level of positional accuracy for at least two respective target objects. Based on the respectively intended levels of positional accuracy, the control system may select one or more of the observer robot locations and may direct one or more observer robots to relocate to the selected locations.

We claim: 
     
       1. A computer-implemented method comprising:
 determining that an observer robot is no longer within a line of sight of a worker robot within a worksite based on at least one sensor of the observer robot that is configured to monitor progress of the worker robot no longer providing information regarding a position of the worker robot; 
 after determining that the observer robot is no longer within the line of sight of the worker robot within the worksite, generating multiple candidate locations, wherein each candidate location has an unoccluded line of sight to the worker robot; 
 determining that a first candidate location of the multiple candidate locations having an unoccluded line of sight to the worker robot is closer to the worker robot than a second candidate location of the multiple candidate locations; 
 in response, selecting, from among the multiple candidate locations, the first candidate location within the worksite, wherein the first candidate location is a location to which the observer robot is to move; and 
 providing, to the observer robot, a command that causes the observer robot to move to the first candidate location within the worksite. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining that the observer robot is no longer within line of sight comprises determining that the at least one sensor of the observer robot no longer has a line of sight to the worker robot. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining that the observer robot is no longer within the line of sight comprises determining that another object has become positioned between the observer robot and the worker robot. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining that the observer robot is no longer within the line of sight comprises determining that a position of the worker robot has changed, and determining that a second observer robot has reported that the position of the worker robot has not changed. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining that the observer robot is no longer within the line of sight comprises determining that a power level associated with the at least one sensor is below a threshold. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining that the observer robot is no longer within the line of sight comprises determining that the at least one sensor of the observer robot has stopped reporting position information for the worker robot. 
     
     
       7. A system comprising:
 one or more computers; and 
 a non-transitory computer-readable medium coupled to the one or more computers having instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the one or more computers, cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising: 
 determining that an observer robot is no longer within a line of sight of a worker robot within a worksite based on at least one sensor of the observer robot that is configured to monitor progress of the worker robot no longer providing information regarding a position of the worker robot; 
 after determining that the observer robot is no longer within the line of sight of the worker robot within the worksite, generating multiple candidate locations, wherein each candidate location has an unoccluded line of sight to the worker robot; 
 determining that a first candidate location of the multiple candidate locations having an unoccluded line of sight to the worker robot is closer to the worker robot than a second candidate location of the multiple candidate locations; 
 in response, selecting, from among the multiple candidate locations, the first candidate location within the worksite, wherein the first candidate location is a location to which the observer robot is to move; and 
 providing, to the observer robot, a command that causes the observer robot to move to the first candidate location within the worksite. 
 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 7 , wherein determining that the observer robot is no longer within the line of sight comprises determining that the at least one sensor of the observer robot no longer has a line of sight to the worker robot. 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 7 , wherein determining that the observer robot is no longer within the line of sight comprises determining that another object has become positioned between the observer robot and the worker robot. 
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 7 , wherein determining that the observer robot is no longer within the line of sight comprises determining that a position of the worker robot has changed, and determining that a second observer robot has reported that the position of the worker robot has not changed. 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 7 , wherein determining that the observer robot is no longer within the line of sight comprises determining that a power level associated with the at least one sensor is below a threshold. 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 7 , wherein determining that the observer robot is no longer within the line of sight comprises determining that the at least one sensor of the observer robot has stopped reporting position information for the worker robot. 
     
     
       13. A non-transitory computer storage medium encoded with a computer program, the computer program comprising instructions that when executed by one or more processors cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
 determining that an observer robot is no longer within a line of sight of a worker robot within a worksite based on at least one sensor of the observer robot that is configured to monitor progress of the worker robot no longer providing information regarding a position of the worker robot; 
 after determining that the observer robot is no longer within the line of sight of the worker robot within the worksite, generating multiple candidate locations, wherein each candidate location has an unoccluded line of sight to the worker robot; 
 determining that a first candidate location of the multiple candidate locations having an unoccluded line of sight to the worker robot is closer to the worker robot than a second candidate location of the multiple candidate locations; 
 in response, selecting, from among the multiple candidate locations, the first candidate location within the worksite, wherein the first candidate location is a location to which the observer robot is to move; and 
 providing, to the observer robot, a command that causes the observer robot to move to the first candidate location within the worksite. 
 
     
     
       14. The medium of  claim 13 , wherein determining that the observer robot is no longer within the line of sight comprises determining that the at least one sensor of the observer robot no longer has a line of sight to the worker robot. 
     
     
       15. The medium of  claim 13 , wherein determining that the observer robot is no longer within the line of sight comprises determining that another object has become positioned between the observer robot and the worker robot. 
     
     
       16. The medium of  claim 13  wherein determining that the observer robot is no longer within the line of sight comprises determining that a position of the worker robot has changed, and determining that a second observer robot has reported that the position of the worker robot has not changed. 
     
     
       17. The medium of  claim 13 , wherein determining that the observer robot is no longer within the line of sight comprises determining that a power level associated with the at least one sensor is below a threshold. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the worksite comprises one or more of a construction site, a manufacturing facility, or a distribution facility. 
     
     
       19. The system of  claim 7 , wherein the worksite comprises one or more of a construction site, a manufacturing facility, or a distribution facility. 
     
     
       20. The medium of  claim 13 , wherein the worksite comprises one or more of a construction site, a manufacturing facility, or a distribution facility.